OWENSBORO, Ky. (6/14/13) – The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is kicking off a summer-long process of identifying the communities funding priorities with an open survey that is now available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2XX93RV. A link to the survey is also available on the Chamber website at www.owensboro.com/chamber.

Every other year, the Chamber, the Economic Development Corporation, the City of Owensboro and the Daviess County Fiscal Court collaborate to create the Greater Owensboro Community Priorities list. It is created with business and community input to identify and prioritize capital projects for the region. These priorities are divided into Capital and Transportation categories, and the process is followed in order to be prepared for the budget year of the Kentucky Legislature.

“This has been an important collaborative effort in the past, and this year – at the urging of the Judge and the Mayor – we want to expand the opportunity for businesses and community members to provide input,” said Amy Jackson, Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO.

Projects on the priority list will address a clear community need and provide substantial benefits to the community. Jackson said the process helps send a strong message to Frankfort and Washington that the Greater Owensboro region is united in its projects requests and priorities for the community. “It will assist in securing funding and allow the Greater Owensboro region to get a fair return on its tax investment in the Commonwealth and nation,” she continued.

Projects should promote economic development or tourism, provide educational advancement opportunities, improve transportation and access to the community, and/or serve a public need of the Greater Owensboro region. The online survey will be available until July 5 and asks five open questions.

Following the survey, the public is then invited to attend one of three open forum sessions in order to review the projects identified and offer priority feedback. Those input sessions are scheduled for: